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A Sony PlayStation Emulator for the PC
ePSXe FAQ 1.4.0 written by Bobbi & CDBuRnOuT of PSXEmu.com

Disclaimer: calb, Galtor and _Demo_ hold no warranties of any kind for this prod
uct.
You're using ePSXe at your own risk. The authors can't be held liable or respons
ible
for any damage which results from using the emulator, it's plugins or anything
described in this documentation in any way.
This FAQ may only be provided "as is". You're not allowed to remove this disclai
mer
and put your own name there. You are, of course, allowed to put a COMPLETE copy
of this
file on your webpage and offer it for reading / download. Please respect our har
d work
and don't rip us off! The latest version of this FAQ can always be found on
http://www.psxemu.com/epsxe.shtml, along with several other tools for ePSXe!

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|T|a|b|l|e| |o|f| |C|o|n|t|e|n|t|s|
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--> Table of Contents
--> Updates
--> ePSXe FAQ 1.4.0
--> ePSXe FAQ 1.3.1
--> ePSXe FAQ 1.3.0
--> ePSXe FAQ 1.2.5
--> ePSXe FAQ 1.2.1
--> ePSXe FAQ 1.2.0
--> ePSXe FAQ 1.1.0
--> ePSXe FAQ 1.0.0
--> What's New
--> ePSXe 1.2.0
--> ePSXe 1.0.1
--> Getting Started
--> Getting All the Necessary Files
--> Choosing the Best GPU Plugin
--> Choosing and Configuring the CD-ROM Plugin
--> Selecting the Best Sound Plugin
--> Choosing the Correct BIOS
--> Getting Through the Other Settings
--> General Questions
--> Who are the developers of this great application?
--> Game X doesn't run. What can I do to get it running?
--> Which BIOS files are the best to use with ePSXe?
--> Can I use those PAL patches for the NTSC versions of the gam
es as well?
--> Does ePSXe support changing discs in multi-disc games?
 --> How can I show the frames per second (FPS)?
--> Can you actually play audio CDs in the "Run BIOS" option?
--> For VGS, I used Daemon Tools to play ISOs, what should I use
for ePSXe?
--> Can I play backups with ePSXe?
--> During certain games (for example Driver, Ridge Racer, X-Men
Vs. Street Fighter etc.),
I can press whatever I want to, the emulator doesn't react.
Can this be fixed?
--> ePSXe keeps crashing on me at random intervals, what can I d
o?
--> I keep getting some strange errors in the command line box i
n ePSXe...something about MCI?
--> ePSXe just gives me a black screen!
--> Yay! ePSXe 1.2.0 supports save states! But, how do I use the
m?
--> I'm so excited about ePSXe 1.2.0 including Force Feedback su
pport, but there's one problem,
it won't work! What am I doing wrong?
--> Are there any command-line switches I should know of that ar
e not mentioned in ePSXe's docs?
--> After I upgrade ePSXe, my controller no longer works!
--> ePSXe doesn't work with my controller, but I've seen others
with the same use it with no
problems! What am I doing wrong?
--> ePSXe is way too fast! How can I slow it down?
--> When I save my game using the memory cards after loading a S
ave State, it saves fine, but
the save data is missing/older when I play it the next time,
what gives?
--> Can I use ePSXe's 'Cheat' option to use GameShark/Pro Action
Replay/etc. codes?
--> Does [pec] work with ePSXe 1.2.0?
--> I made a save state with a multi-disc game on one of the lat
er discs, after switching
discs during play. When I started off the disc I was current
ly on when I went back,
the save state would not load, what gives?
--> Some games (only a few), are giving me trouble saving, what'
s up, I thought this was fixed?
--> Plugin Problems
--> What's the best graphics (GPU) plugin to use?
--> I'm using Tratax's ASPI 1.2 plugin. When I start a game from
CD-ROM, my computer
just sits there and does nothing. What's wrong?
--> I own a Voodoo 3, and I'm using Pete's GPU plugins. I config
ured the plugin, and
selected "Nice" in order to get nice graphics. But then emul
ator crashes. Why?
--> I'm using Lewpy's Glide plugin for my 3dfx card. But every t
ime I try to run a game,
the emulator crashes.
--> I'm using Win2K and can't get the CD-ROM working, no matter
which plugin I try!
--> I've downloaded and extracted Null2's SPU to my Plugins dire
ctory, but it's not
showing up as a choice under SPU Plugins in ePSXe, please he
lp!
--> Specific Games
--> How can I get Resident Evil 3 PAL working?
 --> How can get Final Fantasy 8 PAL working?
--> How can I get Final Fantasy 9 US/JAP working?
--> I saw screenshots of ePSXe running Spiderman/THPS1/THPS2, bu
t I can't seem to get
them to work without messed up graphics.
--> What's this?!?! The ePSXe docs say FFIX PAL is supported, bu
t my version does not work!?
--> Help!! The '-legaia' switch doesn't seem to fix the problems
in Legend of Legaia in
ePSXe 1.2.0!
--> I can't seem to get Saga Frontier 2 PAL working, is there an
ything I can do?
--> ARGH! FF7 worked fine in ePSXe 1.0.0 and 1.0.1, but in 1.2.0
, it crashes when I choose
'New Game', what's going on?
--> How can I get Soul Reaver functioning in ePSXe 1.2.0?
--> How can I get Cool Boarders 2001 working properly?
--> How can I get Front Mission 3 going?
--> How can I get Breath of Fire 3 PAL started?
--> Gran Turismo 2 locks up after the intro screens, is there an
y way to fix this?
--> Dino Crisis locks up after a few screens, how can I get it t
o work?
--> Dino Crisis 2 locks up after a few screens, similiar to Dino
Crisis, what's up?
--> When a character joins my party in Chrono Cross, ePSXe locks
up, is there a
workaround for this?
--> How can I stop Breath of Fire 4 NTSC U/C from crashing when
I enter the town
of Kyria?
--> How can I stop the backround music from looping in Megaman X
4/Rockman X4, like it
does in MMX5/RMX5?
--> How can I stop the backround music from looping in Megaman X
5/Rockman X5?
--> Technical Questions
--> Which 3D API's does ePSXe take advantage of?
--> Can ePSXe use VGS/Bleem memory cards?
--> Does ePSXe support hardware anti-aliasing?
--> How do I dump a PlayStation BIOS?
--> How do I find out what version of the PlayStation BIOS I hav
e?
--> Annoying Questions
--> Why doesn't my favorite game, X run with ePSXe?
--> Can you get game X working in the next version? And when wil
l you release it?
--> Where can I find the PSX BIOS? The emu asks me for it every
time.
--> Legacy Support
--> ePSXe 1.0.1
--> With ePSXe 1.0.1, my MDECs are actually running slow
er than 1.0.0! What can I do to
fix this?
--> Help! Some of my memcards have gotten deleted for no
apparent reason! What's wrong?
--> Ok, I got FF9 working, but I get some weird sound bu
gs before entering a battle
and during the battle itself, is there a way to fix
this?
 --> ePSXe 1.0.0
--> The ISO function doesn't run some games my friend ca
n play from his CDs ... Why?
--> Credits
--> Thanks

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|U|p|d|a|t|e|s|
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ePSXe FAQ 1.4.0
--> Re-worked FAQ version numbering scheme. (CD)
--> Created new section, 'Table of Contents'. (CD)
--> Added ePSXe 1.2.0 release info to 'What's New'. (CD)
--> Updated 'Getting Started' to cover new options in ePSXe 1.2.0. (CD)
--> Updated most Q&As with info concerning ePSXe 1.2.0. (CD)
--> Added General Q&A: Save States in ePSXe 1.2.0. (CD)
--> Added General Q&A: Force Feedback in ePSXe 1.2.0. (CD)
--> Added General Q&A: Command-line switches in ePSXe 1.2.0. (CD)
--> Added General Q&A: DirectInput problems with upgrading ePSXe. (CD)
--> Added General Q&A: DirectInput problems with ePSXe. (CD)
--> Added General Q&A: Problems with ePSXe being too 'fast'. (CD)
--> Added General Q&A: Troubles using Memory Cards and Save States in ePSXe 1.
2.0. (CD)
--> Added General Q&A: Confusion concerning ePSXe's 'Cheat' option. (CD)
--> Added General Q&A: [pec] compatibility with ePSXe 1.2.0 (CD)
--> Added General Q&A: Save States with Multi-Disc games in ePSXe 1.2.0. (CD)
--> Added General Q&A: Troubling saving with a few games in ePSXe 1.2.0. (CD)
--> Added Plugin Q&A: Null2's SPU not showing up in ePSXe. (CD)
--> Added Game Specific Q&A: FF9 PAL in ePSXe 1.2.0. (CD)
--> Added Game Specific Q&A: Legend of Legaia in ePSXe 1.2.0. (CD)
--> Added Game Specific Q&A: Saga Frontier 2 PAL in ePSXe 1.2.0. (CD)
--> Added Game Specific Q&A: FF7 in ePSXe 1.2.0. (CD)
--> Added Game Specific Q&A: Soul Reaver in ePSXe 1.2.0. (CD)
--> Added Game Specific Q&A: Cool Boarders 2001 in ePSXe. (CD)
--> Added Game Specific Q&A: Front Mission 3 in ePSXe. (CD)
--> Added Game Specific Q&A: Breath of Fire 3 PAL in ePSXe. (CD)
--> Added Game Specific Q&A: Gran Turismo 2 in ePSXe. (CD)
--> Added Game Specific Q&A: Dino Crisis in ePSXe. (CD)
--> Added Game Specific Q&A: Dino Crisis 2 in ePSXe. (CD)
--> Added Game Specific Q&A: Chrono Cross hangs when a character joins in ePSX
e. (CD)
--> Added Game Specific Q&A: Breath of Fire 4 'Town of Kyria' crash. (CD)
--> Added Game Specific Q&A: Megaman X4/Rockman X4 BGM Troubles in ePSXe. (CD)
--> Added Game Specific Q&A: Megaman X5/Rockman X5 BGM Troubles in ePSXe. (CD)
--> Removed Game Specific Q&A: Slowdowns in THPS1/2 and Spiderman. (CD)
--> Created new section, 'Legacy Support'. (CD)
--> Moved questions/info related to revision 1.0.1/1.0.0 only to 'Legacy Suppo
rt'. (CD)
--> Created new section, 'Credits'. (CD)
--> Created new section, 'Thanks'. (CD)
--> Misc. fixes here and there. (CD)
ePSXe FAQ 1.3.1
--> Added some more possible fixes to common problems. (CD)
ePSXe FAQ 1.3.0
--> Fixed the width of many answers so they're viewable in other res. (Bobbi)
 --> Added more questions and answers for many common problems (Bobbi)
ePSXe FAQ 1.2.5
--> Fixed some spelling errors and grammar. (CD)
--> Tiny fixes to formatting. (CD)
--> Added some fixes to/info about problems experienced with ePSXe 1.0.1 (CD)
ePSXe FAQ 1.2.1
--> Misc. errors fixed (CD)
ePSXe FAQ 1.2.0
--> new ePSXe release, new FAQ version (Bobbi)
--> "What's new" part added (Bobbi)
--> "Specific games" part added containing infos how to get some games working
. (Bobbi)
--> Updated all parts to reflect the changes in the new version (Bobbi)
ePSXe FAQ 1.1.0
--> fixed several mistakes (Bobbi)
--> Added the "Getting started" section (Bobbi)
--> Removed one double entry (Bobbi)
ePSXe FAQ 1.0.0
--> first publication (Bobbi)

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|W|h|a|t|'|s| |N|e|w| |?|
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ePSXe 1.2.0
-----------
This update, named version 1.2.0 (the author's thought users would confuse 1.1.0
with 1.0.1),
includes great new features like force feedback, improved analog support, save s
tates, improved
speed, and other misc. fixes. Here's a full list below:
--> Added better analogic pad emulation and force feedback. It is now possible t
o configure
the analogic axis and the effect of the force feedback motors. (Many thanks
to Alex7
and to www.burutter.com, for donating a very nice PSX to USB pad converter a
nd giving
help on adding support for it).
--> Now ePSXe includes savestates support. F1 = save state, F2 = increase slot (
max = 5),
F3 = load state. The savestates are compressed and saved to the sstates dire
ctory,
with an average size of 1.5Mb. (WARNING!!! As of this writing, it is support
ed only in
the following plugins: Lewpy's Glide GPU, Pete's GPUs, Pete's SPU, and ePSXe
's Internal
SPU, support will be included in more plugins soon by the plugin's authors)
--> Partially re-wrote the internal SPU. It should be faster, have less sound gl
itches,
and have better sound quality.
--> Optimizations added to GTE, MDEC, and the core which makes some games work f
aster
than before.
--> Fixes to the CD-ROM decoder and the core, which make some more games playabl
e. For example:
Gran Turismo, Resident Evil, Ape Escape, Kingley Adventure, Legend of Legaia
(use the
"-legaia" command-line switch in conjunction with "-cdtiming"), Final Fantas
y IX PAL
and so on ;-)
ePSXe 1.0.1
------------
In my opinion this update should be called ePSXe 2.0, but since the logo was alr
eady
done, it wasn't possible to change that any more. Anyway, there are many nice ch
anges
in this release, but I'm not gonna copy them all from the readme in here, instea
d I'll
list what this does for you in the end:
--> The MDEC engine has been completly re-written and a new CD-ROM plugin has be
en added,
for Win9x as well as Win2k users. This increases the quality of the MDEC's n
icely as
well as giving some more speed. Fast machines should have absolutly smooth p
layback
now. To get this, you should always enable the Mdec timing in the options. A
dditionally,
the XA playback in the internal SPU plugin became better, so especially Squa
resoft
games are playing movie sounds better now.
--> The memory card manager has been improved: You can select which card you wan
t to place
in which slot now, and you can even convert the cards from other formats lik
e Dexdrive,
VGS, bleem! and PSEmu Pro. The memory cards are also saved now automaticly w
hen pausing
gameplay, so people shouldn't have problems with them any more.
--> Fixes for Win2k users, so most of them should be able to play games from CDs
from now on,
and don't have to use ISOs with ePSXe. To take advantage of those, it's high
ly recommend
to use ePSXe's CD-ROM plugin (included in the 1.0.1 executeable).
--> Support for even more great (also many new!) games, like:
- Final Fantasy 9 US
- Grandia US
- Driver 2 US
- Crash Bash US
- Harvest Moon - Back to Nature US
- Fear Effect US
- Castlevania SOTN US
- Chrono Cross (the crashing bug, you can get around it by pressing F7)
- and many more games since you're able to swap discs now (File -> Chang
e discs)
--> Misc stuff, like support for PSX mouse and analog controllers (and even
both together!), a better NTSC/PAL (or a manual if appreciated) detection an
d more.
There's much more new in this version, for a detailed listing you should check o
ut the
readme as well (which is located in the /docs directory). And now, enjoy this fi
ne release!

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|G|e|t|t|i|n|g| |S|t|a|r|t|e|d|
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Many of you sent us mails wondering how they can get the emu configured correctl
y. So,
in order to help you configuring it for the first time, We added this section to
the FAQ.
1) Getting all necessary files
First off, you need the emulator, all plugins you want to use and the BIOS
itself.
You can get the first two combined in a nice Installer from PSXEmu.com (bro
wse to
http://www.psxemu.com/epsxe-download.shtml). We won't supply you with URL's
for the
BIOS as it is copyrighted by Sony. But you should find it easily by browsin
g the web.
Now you need to get the plugins configured properly.
2) Choosing the best GPU plugin
When going after compatibility, you should use Pete's Soft GPU plugin, it's
the one
with the highest compatibility. When that one doesn't work with a game othe
rs have
gotten working, you've probably made a configuration error. You should also
use this
plugin when you've got troubles getting certain game situations to display
properly
(for example the FF8 battle menus).
Now here's a list for the best plugins for the most popular graphic cards:
3dfx Voodoo 2 --> Lewpy's Glide plugin (could crash with certa
in drivers)
3dfx Voodoo 3 --> Pete's D3D (DirectX 7) or Lewpy's Glide plug
in
3dfx Voodoo 4/5 --> Pete's D3D (DirectX 7) or Lewpy's Glide plug
in
ATI Radeon --> Pete's OpenGL plugin
ATI Rage 128/Expert --> Pete's D3D (DirectX 7) plugin
nVidia GeForce 1/2 --> Pete's OpenGL plugin
nVidia TNT/TNT2 --> Pete's OpenGL plugin
Matrox G200/G400 --> Pete's D3D (DirectX 6) plugin
... the rest --> Pete's D3D (DirectX 7) plugin
3) Choosing and configuring the CD-ROM plugin
Windows 9x/ME + IDE CD-ROM --> ePSXe CDR ASPI Core 1.2.0
(Requires an ASPI layer, Win9x/ME co
mes with one.)
Windows NT/2000 + IDE/SCSI CD-ROM --> ePSXe CDR WNT/W2K Core 1.2.0
(Does not require an ASPI layer.)

Remember that you need an ASPI layer to get ePSXe reading CDs with OTHER pl
ugins
using Windows 2000. You can get more infos on this further on in this FAQ!
When those settings aren't working for you, one thing you can do is to crea
te an
ISO from the original CD using a burning app like CDRWin or WinOnCD. Keep i
n mind
that you should get better performance using an ISO, compared to running a
game
from a CD.
4) Selecting the best sound plugin
ePSXe SPU Core 1.2.0 --> Good & fast sound, but still has some proble
ms left.
Pete's MIDAS SPU 1.7 --> A good sound plugin which uses the latest SP
U API.
Null2's SPU 1.35 --> Slowly became one of the best SPU plugins, r
ecommended.
5) Choosing the correct BIOS
ePSXe has been mainly tested with the SCPH-1001 and the SCPH-7502 BIOS file
s, which
are therefor the BIOS files we mostly recommend.
6) Getting through the other settings
Now that you've selected and configured the plugins of your choice, here's
a list of
the rest of the settings and how we recommend you to set them. Still, some
game require
different settings.
Options --> SIO IRQ Always Enabled --> [DISABLED] - (F4
to toggle on/off)
Config --> CD-ROM --> Enable Accurate CD-ROM Timing --> [DISABLED] - (Se
e notes in the GUI)
Config --> CD-ROM --> Disable CD-ROM Status --> [DISABLED] - (Se
e notes in the GUI)
Config --> CD-ROM --> Disable Real-Time CD-ROM Status --> [DISABLED] - (Se
e notes in the GUI)
Config --> MDEC --> Enable MDEC --> [ENABLED]
Config --> MDEC --> Enable MDEC Timing --> [ENABLED] - (Se
e notes further down)
Config --> Sound --> Enable Sound --> [ENABLED]
Config --> Sound --> Enable CDDA Sound --> [ENABLED]
Config --> Sound --> Enable XA Sound --> [ENABLED]
Config --> Sound --> Enable XA Read --> [ENABLED] - (Ne
eds a fast system, F6)
Config --> Sound --> Enable SPU IRQ hack --> [DISABLED] - (Ne
eds a fast system)
And now you should be able to enjoy one of the best free emulators out there. Wh
en you
still have problems or suggestions for this FAQ, feel free to post them on our m
essage
board or mail us!

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|G|e|n|e|r|a|l| |Q|u|e|s|t|i|o|n|s|
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Q: Who are the developers of this great application?
A: The programmers aren't new to the scene. The one you all have probably alrea
dy heard of
is _Demo_, one of the authors of the best SNES emulator out there: ZSNES! Th
e other two
are calb, experienced programmer from emulators like ESNES, and Galtor, who
is new to the
emu scene, but still is a skilled programmer. When you want to learn more ab
out them, make
sure to check out the interview with Galtor at http://www.psxemu.com!
Q: Game X doesn't run. What can I do to get it running?
A: There are certain things to do before giving up on a non-working game. First
off, you could
use another plugin, since not all plugins work with every game. We suggest y
ou use Pete's
plugins for GPU (OpenGL, D3D or Soft), since they provide the best compatibi
lity ... see the
plugins section for more plugin troubleshooting. Then, you could try to disa
ble MDECs, since
some games crash when they try to show the opening movie. In case you're run
ning the game from
an ISO file, try Daemon Tools, since some games only work properly with that
tool. Some people
also informed us that using a different BIOS version has helped them getting
the emu working.
Now, check if your CD-ROM drive at least TRIES to read the game CD ... when
it does nothing on
start, try another plugin (see plugins section for more help). If this isn't
the problem, you
can try to load the game patches using the "Cheat" option in ePSXe. Some gam
es have special
workarounds found in these patches with allow them to run, or fix some in-ga
me bug.
And last but not least, you should try to start the emulator with the option
'-cdtiming' or
activate the "Enable Accurate CD-ROM Timing" option in the CD-ROM configurat
ion screen. If all
this didn't help, you just need to wait for the next version, but hey, this
emulator is free so
please don't send any E-Mails to the authors asking for game X to work in th
e next release.
Q: Which BIOS files are the best to use with ePSXe?
A: After the testing stage, we found out that the SCPH-1000, SCPH-5000 and SCPH
-5005 don't seem
to work with ePSXe. We suggest you to use the SCPH-1001 and SCPH-7502 BIOS,
since they've worked
great during our tests!
Q: Can I use those Region X patches for the Region Y versions of the games as w
ell?
A: Nope, sorry... each patch is designed for a certain region of the game, and
will most likely not
work with another region.
Q: Does ePSXe support changing discs in multi-disc games?
A: ePSXe (version 1.0.1 and on) includes a "Change Disc" option, which can be
found by going to
Load -> Change Disc! This function still has some bugs, but could work for s
everal games. Another
way to get past the disc changes is to check if the game creates a savegame
at the beginning
of the next disc (games like Parasite Eve and Final Fantasy usually do that)
. In that case,
simply save, exit the current game, load ePSXe again with the next CD and co
ntinue playing
with the created savegame.
Q: How can I show the frames per second (FPS)?
A: Just press the "Del" key, this should work with most (not all) GPU plugins.
Q: Can you actually play audio CDs in the "Run BIOS" option?
A: Nope, that isn't supported.
Q: For VGS, I used Daemon Tools to play ISOs, What should I use for ePSXe?
A: Nothing like that. ePSXe comes with a built in "Run ISO" function, which eas
ily allows you
to run a .bin (CDRWin format), or .iso file from your HDD! But, Daemon Tools
can have a
higher compatibility rate, so you may want to still try it.
Q: Can I play backups with ePSXe?
A: Well, it has been proved several times now: It's nearly impossible to provid
e 100%
protection of backup's! And since Sony isn't even able to prevent the PSX co
nsole
from being used to play backups themselves, why should emulators be any diff
erent?
And, since ePSXe uses the PSEmu Pro plugin system, you're even able to play
ISO's
directly from your hard disc!
Q: During certain games (for example Driver, Ridge Racer, X-Men Vs. Street Figh
ter etc.),
I can press whatever I want to, the emulator doesn't react. Can this be fixe
d?
A: Yes, to get the controller working again, you just need to enable "SIO IRQ a
lways on"
in the misc menu or simply press F4 during emulation!
Q: ePSXe keeps crashing on me at different locations, what can I do?
A: One thing that ePSXe seems to be really sensitive to is bus speeds which are
out of
spec. This means you most probably overclocked your PC. If you are experienc
ing
problems with ePSXe crashing constantly, but never at the same location, the
n it
could be pointing to this problem. The only way that your bus speeds would b
e out
of spec would be if you are overclocking, so if you are then you might want
to try
 setting your processor back to its default settings with the PCI bus being a
t 33mhz
and the AGP bus being at 66mhz. During testing the bus speeds only seemed to
effect
Final Fantasy IX, but it might also effect other games as well, so if you ar
e having
random crashing problems with any game, this would be something to give a tr
y.
Q: I keep getting some strange errors in the command line box in ePSXe...someth
ing
about MCI?
A: If you're having troubles with errors related to mci, or an empty black scre
en, upgrade
your ePSXe and use one of the internal CD-ROM plugins, depending on your OS.
If you don't
wish to upgrade, or want to use another external plugin, then disable CDDA u
nder Config
> Sound.
Q: ePSXe just gives me a black screen!
A: See the previous question relating to CDDA.
Q: Yay! ePSXe 1.2.0 supports save states! But, how do I use them?
A: In order to use save states, you must get used to the keys which allow you t
o take advantage
of them. First, F1 is to save to the current slot, F2 to increase the slot n
umber (You can
see the current slot in most GPU's on-the-fly menus), but there is a max of
five slots. And
finally, press F3 to load the savestate in the current slot. Also, Save Stat
es are only supported
with the following plugins, and their future revisions:
GPU
---
Kazzuya's Software GPU 1.6 Alpha
Knack's Software GPU 0.84 Beta
Lewpy's Glide GPU 1.31
Pete's Direct3D GPU 1.47
Pete's OpenGL GPU 1.47
Pete's Software GPU 1.47
SPU
---
ePSXe SPU Core 1.2.0
Null2's SPU 1.35
Pete's MIDAS SPU 1.7
This list will be added to as authors update their plugins to support ePSXe'
s save state function.
Q: I'm so excited about ePSXe 1.2.0 including Force Feedback support, but there
's one problem,
it won't work! What am I doing wrong?
A: (Answer provided by Wormie, owner of PSXFanatics.com)
"I have seen some people having troubles getting Force Feedback to work for
them. I don't think
it was ever mentioned before, but during testing I found this feature it onl
y seems to work when
 the controller is set as analog/digital in the controller setup for ePSXe. A
lso when setting
up the analog controlls, I personally didn't mess with the options at the ve
ry bottom of the
controller ... I just setup the 4 way directional pad area (or whatever it's
called) with the
analog stick instead of the directional pad."
Q: Are there any command-line switches I should know of that are not mentioned
in ePSXe's docs?
A: There are quite a bit of undocumented switches, even some that aren't mentio
ned when using the
'-help' switch! For your reading pleasure, here is a list of all known comma
nd-line switches
in ePSXe 1.2.0 and their function(s):
-adsrtrick - Returns a random ADSR value.
-analog - Enables Analog Pad Emulation.
-anamous - Enables Analog Pad Emulation via Mouse.
-bios <file> - Loads the specified PlayStation BIOS fil
e.
-c - Enables the Dynarec core.*
-cddmairq3 - Enables CD-ROM IRQ3 in DMA.**
-cdfast - Enables Fast CD-ROM Emulation.
-cdrom <letter> - Selects a CD-ROM Drive Letter
-cdslow - Enables Slow CD-ROM Emulation.
-cdtiming - Enables Accurate CD-ROM Timing.
-debug - Enables Debugging.***
-dmairqclear - Forces DMA IRQ to always be cleared.
-f - Disables BIOS Logo. (Fast Boot)
-ff9pal - Enables Final Fantasy IX PAL cheat.
-fl - Enables the internal framelimiter.**
-forcepad - Forces SIO IRQ to always be enabled.
-forcespu - Forces SPU IRQ to always be enabled.
-gun - Enables Namco Gun Emulation.**
-h - Displays some (not all) command-line swi
tches.
-hdev - Displays a list of debug options.
-help - Displays some (not all) command-line swi
tches.
-i - Loads the Interpreter core.*
-legaia - Enables Legend of Legaia cheat.
-lib - Loads libpsx.exe.
-loadbin <file> - Loads a specified ISO image file.
-loadcheat <file> - Loads a specified .cht file.
-loadfake - Loads a fake file.****
-loadmemc0 <file> - Loads a specified memory card file in th
e first slot (0).
-loadmemc1 <file> - Loads a specified memory card file in th
e second slot (1).
-mouse - Enables Mouse Emulation.
-noaudiocd - Disables CDDA.
-noauto - Disables automatically applied patches.
-nocd - Disables CD-ROM Emulation.
-nocdcmd11 - Disables CD-ROM command 11.
-nocdstatus - Changes some CD-ROM status outputs.
-nocdrtstatus - Disables CD-ROM RT status
-nogui - Runs ePSXe without the GUI.
-nolog - Disables log files.
-nomdec - Disables MDEC.
 -nomdectiming - Disables MDEC Timing.
-nomemcard - Disables Memory Card Emulation.
-noseekinxa - Disables seeking during XA playback.
-nosound - Disables Sound Emulation.
-p <num> - Adds penalty cycles to memory access.***
**
-paddual - Enables a pad workaround*
-savefake <file> - Saves a fake file.****
-v - Shows the current version of ePSXe
-xaread - Enables XA Read.
-xasound - Enables XA Sound Emulation.
[psx exe] - Runs the specified PSX Executable (can b
e a .pll, zipped)
* - No longer functional in ePSXe 1.2.0
** - Not functional in ePSXe 1.2.0
*** - Not functional in public releases.
**** - Mostly used by developers/testers.
***** - You can try '-p 12' to increase speed in some games, but it will no
rmally produce input problems.
Q: After I upgrade ePSXe, my controller no longer works!
A: First, make sure you are running DirectX 7.0a or 8.0a, as versions 7.0 and 8
.0 have
DInput problems which were fixed in their 'a' counterparts. You can get the
lastest
DirectX from http://www.microsoft.com/directx If that doesn't fix your probl
em, delete
the ePSXe Configuration registry entry under 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Eps
xe\Config'
using Microsoft RegEdit, if you find that too hard, I suggest a powerful, ye
t easy to
use registry editor, RegCleaner (www.jv16.org). After deleting the entry, re
configure
your controller (and everything else =P) in ePSXe.
Q: ePSXe doesn't work with my controller, but I've seen others with the same us
e it with no
problems! What am I doing wrong?
A: See the first part of the previous question pertaining to DirectInput proble
ms experienced
when upgrading ePSXe.
Q: ePSXe is way too fast! How can I slow it down?
A: If you're using Pete's GPU plugins, check off the 'Use FPS Limit' checkbox,
and select 'FPS Limit
(10-200)', and manually define your FPS limit, it is recommend you input 60f
ps for NTSC J and U/C
games, and 50fps for PAL games. If you need a little speed boost, try increm
enting the fps by a bit,
maybe by 10 or so.
If you're using Lewpy's Glide GPU plugin, select the 'FrameRate Limit' optio
n, choose 'Custom',
and put 60fps for NTSC J and U/C, and 50fps for PAL. If you feel it's a bit
slow, try boosting the
speed a bit by incrementing the fps a bit, I suggest 10fps or so, but your m
ileage may vary.
If you're using Knack's Software GPU Plugin, select the 'fps limit only' opt
ion under the
'Framerate > Adjustment Type' menu. It's automatic, as far as I know, there'
s no way to
customize it, yet ;)

Q: When I save my game using the memory cards after loading a save state, it sa
ves fine, but
the save data is missing/older when I play it the next time, what gives?
A: ***WARNING: This answer has yet to be confirmed by the authors, although our
tests verify it***
(Answer provided by Lewpy, developer of Lewpy's Glide GPU plugin)
Here's a step-by-step of what I believe happens:
1) You start the game in ePSXe and the memcards you have selected in the GUI
are used.
2) You make a SaveState - this includes PSX RAM, GPU VRAM, SPU RAM, and memc
ards (<- important!)
3) You quit ePSXe, go do something really important in RealLife , and then com
e back
4) You start the game in ePSXe and the memcards you have selected in the GUI
are used.
5) You load the SaveState - here is the problem: what should happen to the m
emcards?
They need to be restored from the SaveState, but should they overwrite th
e ones that
you have selected in the GUI? That _could_ trash some important saves! So
the safe
route is taken: some memcards called temp.000 & temp.001 are created from
the SaveState,
and ePSXe then uses those for the rest of the game, until closed.
What does this mean?
1) Your original memcards are not overwritten by the SaveState
2) Your saves _are_ being recorded after the SaveState load
3) You have to manually recover the memcards once you quit ePSXe, BEFORE you
load another
SaveState (as this will overwrite the previous temp.000 & temp.001 files)
To recover the memcards, go to the memcards directory and rename temp.000 &
temp.001 to
whatever you like. Then, in the ePSXe GUI, point it at these memcards. There
may be a more
sensible way around this quandary, but at least at the moment ePSXe plays it
the "safe" way:
imagine the "knee-jerk" reaction that would happen if ePSXe started overwrit
ting memcards
with the ones from SaveStates ;)
Q: Can I use ePSXe's 'Cheat' option to use GameShark/Pro Action Replay/etc. cod
es?
A: With some outside tools, it is possible, but that's not what ePSXe's 'Cheat'
engine
was meant for. It is meant for the usage of loading memory addresses which c
an be
used as workarounds for bugs, without having to update the ePSXe executable.
If
you wish to use GS Codes and the like with ePSXe, we suggest you use [pec].
You
can learn more about and download [pec] at http://pec.emucheater.com.
Q: Does [pec] work with ePSXe 1.2.0?
A: As of this writing, the external version of [pec] (version 1.2) DOES NOT wor
k with
version 1.2.0 of ePSXe. If you want to use GameShark codes in ePSXe, you sho
uld use
JNS's new creation, [pec] The Plugin. [pec] the plugin uses the PSEmu Pro Pl
ugin
interface, which allows for extended compatibility, faster execution, and mo
re!
The latest version is 1.3, and can be downloaded from http://pec.emucheater.
com.
Please consult the [pec] documentation if you have any trouble with the prog
ram.
Q: I made a save state with a multi-disc game on one of the later discs, after
switching
discs during play. When I started off the disc I was currently on when I wen
t back,
the save state would not load, what gives?
A: Each time you wish to load your state on another CD, you must insert the fir
st CD you
made a save state on (typically Disc One), switch to the current disc you're
on, and
load the save state. I know this seems tedious, but at the moment, it's the
only
workaround known to help with this issue.
NOTE: This has only been tested on FF9, if the bug does/does not occur in ot
her
multi-disc games, please mail us.
Also, some people think that renaming the save state file _may_ be another s
olution,
but this is untested. If you test this solution, and find that it works/does
not work,
e-mail us ASAP.
Q: Some games (only a few), are giving me trouble saving, what's up, I thought
this was fixed?
A: Just use the old F4 trick used for ePSXe 1.0.1, for more info, check out the
'Legacy Support'
section of this FAQ below. I don't know exactly which games this effects, bu
t if anyone can
clue me in, please send an e-mail, you can find our contact e-mail in the 'C
redits' section.

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Q: What's the best plugin to use for graphics (GPU)?
A: Use Pete's OpenGL plugin for best graphics, if your card supports OpenGL, an
d use
Pete's Software GPU plugin for highest compatibility. You can get both from
our
ePSXe plugins page.
Q: I'm using Tratax's ASPI 1.2 plugin. When I start a game from CD-ROM, my comp
uter
just sits there and does nothing. What's wrong?
A: Just wait around 30-60 seconds and let it load, the CD-ROM should boot after
wards.
Q: I own a Voodoo 3, and I'm using Pete's GPU plugins. I configured the plugin,
and
selected "Nice" in order to get nice graphics. But then emulator crashes. Wh
y?
A: It's simple: Pete's plugin activated 32-bit color when you press "Nice", and
the
Voodoo 3 doesn't support anything more than 16-bit color. You need to lower
the
color depth in order to fix this problem!
Q: I'm using Lewpy's Glide plugin for my 3dfx card. But every time I try to run
a
game, the emulator crashes.
A: Download the latest version of Lewpy's plugin from our plugins section, it s
hould
be fixed in the latest version now! Also make sure you're using the latest e
PSXe!
Q: I'm using Win2k and can't get the CD-ROM working, no matter which plugin I t
ry!
A: In the latest version, two new CD-ROM plugins have been added. For more deta
ils
about those changes, take a look at the "Getting Started" part included abov
e
in this FAQ!
Q: I've downloaded and extracted Null2's SPU to my Plugins directory, but it's
not
showing up as a choice under SPU Plugins in ePSXe, please help!
A: Null2's popular SPU plugin requires the Visual Basic 6 runtimes in order to
function properly, and won't even be listed unless they are installed.
Win2K, WinMe, and Win98SE(?) already come with them, but Win95 and Win98 do
not. You can grab yourself a copy of the runtimes at:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/vb60pro/Redist/sp4/win98/EN-US/VBRun6
0sp4.exe

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Q: How can I get Resident Evil 3 PAL working?
A: You need to use a patched backup version, the original one is not working.

Q: How can get Final Fantasy 8 PAL working?

A: You need to use a patched backup version, the original one is not working.
Q: Chrono Cross locks up when I use the teleporter, is there a way to fix this?
A: Both 1.0.0, 1.0.1, and 1.2.0 freeze when you use the teleporter in the game,
but you
can unfreeze it and get past this point by hitting F3 in ePSXe 1.0.0/1.0.1,
and
F7 in ePSXe 1.2.0.
Q: How can I get Final Fantasy 9 US/JAP working?
A: It isn't playable in ePSXe 1.0.0 due to an emulation bug. Anyway, this bug h
as
been fixed in 1.0.1 and higher :). When using Pete's hardware (D3D/OGL>
plugins, remember to set Offscreen Drawing to standard in order see the batt
le
menus, and set Framebuffer Textures to Gfx Card Buffer (If your video card s
upports
it, check Pete's docs) or Full VRam Primitives (Note: Full VRAM Primitives W
ILL slow
down ePSXe immensely), so you can see the effect which occurs every time you
enter a
battle.
Q: I saw screenshots of ePSXe running Spiderman/THPS1/THPS2, but I can't seem t
o get
them to work without messed up graphics.
A: In order to play these three games on ePSXe, you must have Pete's (D3D/OGL/S
oft)
1.41 (or higher) plugin revision(s).
Q: What's this?!?! The ePSXe docs say FFIX PAL is supported, but my version doe
s not work!?
A: Final Fantasy IX PAL needs a patch to be applied to an ISO image of an origi
nal CD
before it can work with ePSXe 1.2.0. Many people from the UK aren't able to
locate
a patch for their region yet, simply because there one doesn't exist yet! As
of this
writing, there are only patches for the german, the french and the spanish v
ersions
released. You can grab the PPF patches, and the engine to apply them with at
PSXEmu.com
Q: Help!! The '-legaia' switch doesn't seem to fix the problems in Legend of Le
gaia in
ePSXe 1.2.0!
A: This was an error on the authors' part, the correct switch to use via comman
d line is
'-cdtiming -legaia'.
NOTE: Enabling Accurate CD-ROM Timing in options may produce the same effect
, but to
be safe, it's best to use the switch.
Q: I can't seem to get Saga Frontier 2 PAL working, is there anything I can do?
A: In order to play Sage Frontier 2 PAL in ePSXe, you must remove it's protecti
on by patching
an ISO image, you can find the patch by surfing the web. Also, you must run
ePSXe with the
'-auto' command-line switch.
Q: ARGH! FF7 worked fine in ePSXe 1.0.0 and 1.0.1, but in 1.2.0, it crashes whe
n I choose 'New Game',
what's going on?
A: The authors are aware of this bug, and it's going to be looked into. Until t
hen, a quick fix is to
 either use an earlier version of ePSXe, or get a save file for FF7 at the be
ginning of the game,
since the 'Continue' option is still working fine ;)
Q: How can I get Soul Reaver functioning in ePSXe 1.2.0?
A: The answer is quite simple really, simply check off the option 'Disable Real
-Time CD-ROM Status'
under Config > CD-ROM in ePSXe.
Q: How can I get Cool Boarders 2001 working properly?
A: This bug popped up somewhere in ePSXe 1.0.1, and remains in 1.2.0, to get Co
ol Boarders 2001
working, start ePSXe with the '-nogui' command-line switch.
Q: How can I get Front Mission 3 going?
A: Use the same method as the one for Cool Boarders 2001, start ePSXe with the
'-nogui'
command-line switch.
Q: How can I get Breath of Fire 3 PAL started?
A: Use the same method as the one for Cool Boarders 2001, start ePSXe with the
'-nogui'
command-line switch.
Q: Gran Turismo 2 locks up after the intro screens, is there any way to fix thi
s?
A: Sure, simple enable 'Accurate CD-ROM Timing' under Config > CD-ROM, or start
ePSXe
with the '-cdtiming' command-line switch.
Q: Dino Crisis locks up after a few screens, how can I get it to work?
A: Well, the US (NTSC U/C) version has anti-mod protection, which needs to be r
emoved in
order for it to work with ePSXe. This can be done via a PPF patch for the ga
me, which
you can obtain by searching the web.
Q: Dino Crisis 2 locks up after a few screens, similiar to Dino Crisis, what's
up?
A: As with Dino Crisis 1, the US (NTSC U/C) version of this game has anti-mod p
rotection,
which needs to be removed inorder for it to work with ePSXe. This can be don
e via a PPF
patch for the game, which you can obtain by searching the web.
Q: When a character joins my party in Chrono Cross, ePSXe locks up, is there a
workaround for this?
A: When this happens, simply press F7 on your keyboard, and ePSXe should return
to
normal, and you may continue your game of Chrono Cross ;)
Q: How can I stop Breath of Fire 4 NTSC U/C from crashing when I enter the town
of Kyria?
A: Load the breath_of_fire_4_usa.cht cheat file in ePSXe's /cheats directory. Y
ou can
do so under Cheats > Edit Cheat Codes. Load the cheat by selecting it after
pressing
the 'Load' button.
Q: How can I stop the backround music from looping in Megaman X4/Rockman X4, li
ke it
does in MMX5/RMX5?
A: In order to have the music playback properly, start ePSXe with the command-l
ine switch,
'-noseekinxa'.
Q: How can I stop the backround music from looping in Megaman X5/Rockman X5?
A: As with MMX4/RMX4, in order to have the music playback properly, start ePSXe
with the
command-line switch, '-noseekinxa'.

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Q: Which 3D API's does ePSXe take advantage of?
A: Since ePSXe uses the PSEmu Pro plugin system, it provides support for all
important APIs: OpenGL, Direct3D, 3Dfx's Glide and pure software mode. For m
ore
info about the plugins and downloads, refer to our ePSXe plugins page!
Q: Can ePSXe use VGS/Bleem memory cards?
A: Yes, from ePSXe 1.0.1 on, you can use memory cards in VGS' or bleem!'s forma
t.
Simply select the memory card what you want to use in the specific slot usin
g
config -> memcards, start the game and play :)
Q: Does ePSXe support hardware anti-aliasing?
A: (Answer provided by Lewpy, PSEmu Pro plugin developer)
"Since ePSXe uses PSEmu Pro GPU plugins, then you have full access to the ha
rdware
anti-aliasing that your hardware/drivers combo provides, as long as you use
a hardware
accelerated GPU plugin. Smoothing (i.e. bilinear filtering) is possible, but
not
without glitches, since the PSX games were not designed to allow for filteri
ng.
Increased screen resolution is also possible, but it doesn't allow for incre
ased
model accuracy within the PSX game. You can notice this within racing games
as distant
cars draw closer, there resolution is still very low. Only some kind of HLE
could
improve that (extracting the game data away from the actual PSX hardware ...
.
funky stuff!)."
Q: How do I dump a PlayStation BIOS?
A: To dump a PlayStation BIOS, you need a GameShark or Action replay and a PC c
omms
link. To start, you need either a real Caetla module or go to altavista and
search
for "Caetla" (it's a BIOS replacement for your module, so properly read the
included
documentation before installing it!!). Now upload "Caetla", and use use the
caetla
commands for downloading a binary memory image from the region 0x0bfc00000 -
 0x0bfc7ffff! Now save the image as SCPHxxxx.bin, where xxxx is your PSX's mo
del number,
and ePSXe will recognise it and use it from now on.
Q: How do I find out what version of the PlayStation BIOS I have?
A: Open the PlayStation Bios file in WordPad or any other text editor, go down
to the
bottom and you will see System ROM Version X.X YY/YY/YY (Z).
X is the number of the BIOS, e.g. 2.2
Y is the date of the BIOS, e.g. 12/04/95
Z is what region the BIOS is from, e.g. J for Japan,

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Q: Why doesn't my favorite game, X run with ePSXe?
A: Well, this emulator is done in the authors FREE time, so they don't have to
get any
game running just for you. Certain emu authors like to have poll's on their
page to
see which game you'd like to work the most. If they do not, please don't mai
l them,
they'll probably just ignore you. Same goes with us, we didn't code the emu,
we can't
change anything about that.
Q: Can you get game X working in the next version? And when will you release it
?
A: See the previous answer above!
Q: Where can I find the PSX BIOS? The emu asks me for it every time.
A: Please neither ask us nor the emu authors for the PSX BIOS file, we simply w
on't give
it to you since we're legally not allowed to. Search the web (I recommend
www.metacrawler.com), and you should find it quite easily.

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ePSXe 1.0.1
-----------
Q: With ePSXe 1.0.1, my MDECs are actually running slower than 1.0.0! What can
I do to
fix this?
A: A simple solution to this is to just locate the ePSXe Configuration registry
entry
found in KEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\epsxe in your windows registry, and delet
e it.
Restart ePSXe, reconfigure, and play!
Q: Help! Some of my memcards have gotten deleted for no apparent reason! What's
wrong?
A: The ePSXe team recommends to backup your memory cards before using them with
 ePSXe.
This is because some NTSC games have problems with the current NTSC timing w
hich can
result in the deletion of memcards. One suggestion is to try enabling PAL ti
ming by
setting the timing to PAL with Options > Country > PAL. As usual, the best s
olution
is to upgrade to ePSXe 1.2.0 and higher, the problem has pretty much been re
solved.
Q: Ok, I got FF9 working, but I get some weird sound bugs before entering a bat
tle
and during the battle itself, is there a way to fix this?
A: This is a known bug in the SPU core in ePSXe 1.0.1, to rectify this problem,
upgrade
to version 1.2.0 or higher.
ePSXe 1.0.0
-----------
Q: The ISO function doesn't run some games my friend can play from his CDs ...
Why?
A: Upgrade your copy of ePSXe! In 1.0.0 the ISO function didn't apply patches y
et to
ISOs, this has been fixed in 1.0.1 and future versions, and should work well
now!

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|C|r|e|d|i|t|s|
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Authors:
Bobbi - Bobbi@psxemu.com
CDBuRnOuT - CD@psxemu.com
Contributors:
calb
Galtor
_Demo_
Lewpy
Pete Bernert
Wormie
Aldo Vargas
Ryos
Phuzzi
dabods
yazoo
EmuForums' Users
(If you think you should be on this list, mail us.)

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|T|h|a|n|k|s|
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CDBuRnOuT:
Wormie - Thanks for being such a good friend,
 and for several bits of Info.
Sandie - Thanks listening when I needed someone
to listen, and for being a good friend,
of course :)
Bgnome - For being insightful, and actually givi
ng a damn.
Phuzzi - comic relief =P
mathew2 - What can I say, it's m2 :D
calb, Galtor, & _Demo_ - For coding such a great emu, and being
really cool, down to earth devs ;)

Bobbi:
The PSXEmu Crew - For making this all so much fun!
CDBuRnOuT - For staying with us no matter what shit
we
went through :)
Wormie & Sandie - For always being around when I needed s
omeone
to talk to
Thorgal - Being one of the biggest helpers in PSX
Emu's
creation!
calb, Galtor, & _Demo_ - For spending so much time on this wonde
rous
project